title: [Benzodiazepine prescription in the elderly in different health care levels: characteristics and related factors].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of benzodiazepine (BZD) prescription and the factors related to prescribing them in the elderly in the community, in an acute general hospital (AH) and in a convalescence geriatric unit (CGU).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of 334 CGU inpatients discharged from an AH. A comprehensive geriatric assessment included functional and cognitive evaluation before hospitalization, at admission and at discharge from CGU (Barthel index, Lawton index and Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination), as well as comorbidity (Charlson index), polypharmacy and social situation. The percentage of benzodiazepine prescriptions at the different healthcare levels was compared and their related factors were evaluated (Chi-squared test).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of benzodiazepine prescriptions in the community was 23.6%, and being female and polypharmacy were related factors to prescribing at this level. During AH admission, this proportion increased up to 38.6%, and after CGU admission decreased to 21.,9%. Factors related to prescription in AH were, being female, polypharmacy and osteoarticular-fracture related diagnosis, and in CGU, being female and polypharmacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of benzodiazepine prescribing was high among elderly people at every healthcare level (community, AH and CGU), and polypharmacy was one of the significant factors associated with prescribing. This prescribing was increased during AH admission due to a medical or surgical process.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Convalecencia, Servicio de Geriatría del Parc de Salut Mar, Centre Fórum, Hospital de la Esperanza, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: agurneg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Agurne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Baztán
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Convalecencia, Servicio de Geriatría del Parc de Salut Mar, Centre Fórum, Hospital de la Esperanza, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, España; Departamento de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roqueta
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Convalecencia, Servicio de Geriatría del Parc de Salut Mar, Centre Fórum, Hospital de la Esperanza, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: M Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Martínez-Fernández
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Convalecencia, Servicio de Geriatría del Parc de Salut Mar, Centre Fórum, Hospital de la Esperanza, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Colprim
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Convalecencia, Servicio de Geriatría del Parc de Salut Mar, Centre Fórum, Hospital de la Esperanza, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puertas
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Convalecencia, Servicio de Geriatría del Parc de Salut Mar, Centre Fórum, Hospital de la Esperanza, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, España; Departamento de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miralles
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006765:Hospitals, Convalescent; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D001569:Benzodiazepines
keywords: Ancianos; Associated factors; Benzodiacepinas; Benzodiazepines; Elderly; Factores relacionados; Hospitalización; Hospitalization; Polifarmacia; Polypharmacy